Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1887-01-19
= Serial Stpry.
BEAUTY'S SECRET.
BY ALAN MUIR.

bEAUTY'S SEGkEI.
BY ALAN MUIR.
CHAPTER TX
IN WHICH soPHIA'S EYES FILL WITH TEARS.
For some reason, which cannot divine,
Sophia treated the proposal OF the leather
merchants son as an affront. The matter
oozed out-in Kettlewell everything did ooze
out sooner or later; and to one or two init
mate friends who spoke to her on the subject
Sophia expressed herself with a sarcasm
which was perhaps, not fair, and was GER
tainly not prudent. Some kind friend was at
the pains Of telling young John. Done in what
terms of ridicule and contempt Sophia had
mentioned his name. This gentleman i'll his
own person does not come before us, and it is
enough to say that certain disclosures which
reached poor Sophias ears about this time
concerning the conduct of Percival Brent in
Australia were indirectly communicated ia
her by her insulted admirer, who, as has
been said, had met sophias lover when
abroad.
Q0FS IESlu6u Ill h0ULlSWSh q W kQON VI SOOA
family and small fortune, by name Mrs.
Hands; and Mrs Hands, relishing the fat
living Of the house Of Done, and the house OF
Done being gratified by the aroma of aris-
tocracy which hung around Mrs Hands,
there came about an alliance between the
two, offensive and defensive, which was al-
ways most enthusiastically maintained on the
widows side about lunch and dinner hour.
Mrs Hands was a woman who had seen
great deal Of the world, and could converse
agreeably. She had beautiful set Of teeth
which made her smile great deal, and a
jolly laugh which caused people to feel COM
Portable, and between the laugh and the
smile she had reputation for thorough. good
nature She was known in every house in
Kettlewell; she carried gossip with the
punctuality of postman; she had broken off
two matches by her solitary act and Iced;
she was kind of parlor earthquake, leaking
splits and assures and shakings innumerable
in hitherto stable households; and yet for all
this the true character of Mrs. Hands was
not suspected, and everybody said she was
such a good -humored woman that it was
pleasure even to see her. Which shows,
reader, what can be done with beautiful set
Of teeth, and smile and jolly laugh dis
creetly inserted in the talk now and then.
Mrs Hands was no favorite with Mrs Tenn.
pie That prudent woman, mindful of an
enemy's craft and malice, never said what
she thought of the widow; but she knew. and
the widow knew. In her way, Mrs. Hands
feared the superior and more scientific world
ling. as was shown by the contraction of her
smile and the reduction Of her laughter when
ever Mrs. Temple was by. But Sophia liked
the widow and thought she had good heart.
One morning, about four months after the
Done episode, Mrs. Hands called on Sophia;
and there was to be seen OF her face re-
markable solicitude and depression, SO much,
that Sophia asked, after little casual talk,
il anything had disturbed her.
Disturbed mel" the widow exclaimed. 20,
Sophia, my heart is bleeding this morning"
aFor what." Sophia asked "For anybody
knowp
"For yourself, dear girl Now will not
keep you in suspense. Is it not true-l know
it is true-that you are still in your heart
keeping up with the clergyman's son, Percival
,BrentF'
Sophia turned as white as death. Two or
three strange whispers about Percival had
reached her ears from different quarters In
the last three weeks.
you any news of hims Is he illF
she asked, and yet illness was not what she
feared
sophia, dear girl" the widow said, re-
garding her with eyes that absolutely moist
ened-by what art or emotion l know not,
nor could the widow have told herself
"Percival Brent is bad young man-un-
worthy Of you-unworthy of your love-"
"What do you mean~ Sophia asked, draw.
ing herself up with kind at proud rebuke,
which yet had threatening q tearss in its
very indignation. Nothing bad can De true
Of him."
@Nothing good, Sophia ? the wilnw re-
piled, shaking her head religiouAga4 is
sad for me to tell it to you, but Il hAG duty,
dear-and my privilege, Hoc; fer who would
see you sacrificed to such fen9wp
9You must not talk so,s Sophia said, in
less resdute tone. i,sls
successful in his trade bGSfaess, whatever
you call it. He has Lost eveky thing or the
person with whom he was f1partnership has
lost everything, or has dieds 81 fometnng un-
lucky anyhow-Brent b nSwhers at all in
money matters" 5if
"That he cannot help, sophia said, and her
heart revived. g .% s.
aPerhaps not, dear; bnt h4 could hslp being
idle, being fond of fast con4pany, being fond
Of drink-or, at least, Of being atpia6es where
people do drink-and an that sort of thing.
This has been his ruin, for ruined he is"
II don't see much in what bou say" Sophia
replied. 1Whenever 9 young man fails in
life, people are ready to blame him, and ready
to say, What could yeuexreetr and all that
ayes; but smoking, dearf drinking-fas'
society" R 3
@Well. ne always smoked and be always
drank wine," Sophia ahsITered hotly. a
suppose once he has taken little too much
and of course spiteful people gay that he
drinks and has ruined himself byit"
Fad she really spoken hdr whole mind she
would have said: aOne ofEanse be has never
committed-he has never been false to me-
and therefore his peccadi& &oes shall be for
given"
asophia sophia." the iwidow exclaimed
sthere is more thanthat. H6w young You are
to think that such things DIVER go alone! Per-
cival is-well. my dear. h3 ID mot over partic.
ular about his morals. and that's the long and
short Of it!' e Ss
Tell me all YOU KNOW Sophia exclaimed
turning on her visitor ialmost fiercely, an6
with eyes that enfoscsd n instantaneous re-
Sswer, then, my desr, q, ns%n untrue
you"
Warren"
"Never heard that name,n replied the
widow" And he is not married, but a great
deal worse He is WE'LL known ont there for